Stilt houses scattered around Pa Phach 2 Hamlet in Moc Chau District in Son La Province

I had dreamt of visiting Moc Chau District in Son La Province with my friends one weekend to see its world-famous flowers and finally it came true.

We decided to take the late bus from My Dinh Station in Hanoi at 7:30 p.m. and when we finally arrived at Moc Chau at around 2 a.m., the town was still soundly sleeping and streets corners were quiet and peaceful in the mist and darkness.

We had booked in advance our accommodation at a stilt house in an eco-tourist area and arrived in the room in the chill of the mountainous region. Through the windows, we could barely see deeply winding trails in the distant mist.

After a short sleep, we were up at the crack of dawn to start our journey to Pa Phach hamlets. With five motorbikes hired at VND150,000 each, we were keen to conquer the rocky and tortuous roads which looked rather adventurous with a rocky mountain on one side and deep valley on the other.

We conquered our obvious fear and discovered that the nature we experienced would stay in our hearts forever.

Firstly, we looked to see an immense greenness of plum trees appearing before us. It looked like a green carpet, stretching into the horizon as it was studded with stilt houses of ethnic people. I thought about the ancient times, primitive times, magnificence, endless nature and romance of the trip in this moment.

Along the journey, we saw ethnic women with wooden packs on their backs in slow steps and austere faces. We could also not forget the kids’ glowing red cheeks as well as pigs tramping around.

We just moved, up and down through hills and took many photos between big groves of plum trees which combined together as domes in palaces amidst white radish farms and peach blossom flowers.

At noon, we stopped for lunch. I started to imagine the images of barbarians eating in the jungle in comic books or cartoons.

We moved on to Moc Chau tea plantation. We totally lost ourselves amidst the giant plateau that is green tea hills and grass covers for cattle.

We shouted for joy when seeing a white cabbage flowers. Cabbage flowers are small, fragile and swinging in the wind, they apparently touch a girls’ soul.

Time went by quickly and the sunset started to come on the plateau. We were now in a hurry to go to the hotel.

On the next day, we discovered Dai Yem Waterfall and a pine hill. Not very big or high, the waterfall is charming due to its gentle stream, glistening sunbeams over its spumes and by the many colorful wild flowers around it.

Passing the pine hill, we indulged in the romantic scenery with pine trees shaking in the wind and small lake reflecting the sun rays and our happy faces. The setting reminded us of Dalat.

Moc Chau is 190 kilometers from Hanoi. To get there, tourists can take a motorbike trip from Nguyen Trai Street in Hanoi then along National Road No.6. The roads are easy but travelers should choose a sunny day to be safe.

Tranquil cajeput forest provides a glimpse

 The 845ha forest zone is located about 20km from Chau Doc Town, 10km from the border with Cambodia. The man-made forest is home to 140 species of plants, 70 of birds, 11 of animals, 23 of fish and 20 of reptiles. Two species of birds have been listed in the Red Book, including the giang sen (painted stork) and dien dien (anhinga or snake bird).

The Nhon Thoi canal flows through the reserve, creating a swampy environment that attracts aquatic species which make up the primary food source for the birds.

With those ideal living conditions, the number of birds, especially stocks, coming to region to nest has increased every year.

However, in order to maintain the natural environment, tourists are allowed to travel only within a 159ha area of the zone, starting by motorboat in Tra Su forest.

As the boat glides from the wharf, the cool air is refreshing. The green trees, cool water and birdsong are enhanced by the sight of pink waterlily flowers rising and falling in the wake of the boat.

August and September is the fragrant cajeput blossom season, also called "honey season" because of the millions of bees that flock to the forest to make honey from the flowers. Big bee hives hang from tree branches.

"I know how bees create honey in man-made wooden boxes on bee farms," said Tu Minh, from HCM City, "but this is the first time I've seen such huge bee nests in the wild."

Watching small birds with very thin, long legs walking on thick carpets of water fern intrigues children who ask: "How can those birds walk on the water?" and "They have such long legs."

The birdsong gets louder as visitors get deeper into their territory and it's about time to transfer to rowing boats so the noise of motors doesn't cause flight.

Gliding silently across the green duckweed and other water plants, visitors can see life going on at low-branch level while on high white storks fly into tree-top nests with a cacophony that dominates the feathered score.

On branches near the surface, pelicans stand quietly, ignoring the babble around them, eyes glued to the water for a sign of fish.

In fact this swamp-like environment is ideal for catfish, which can be caught on fishing rods hired at the only restaurant in the reserve.

There, restaurant owner Ut Thao said that most fishing enthusiasts came during the wet season from August to October.

"There are more fish during that time," she said.

One fisherman said he expected to catch a snakefish.

"The swampy environment and aquatic plants are a perfect habitat for them," he said.

Alongside fresh fish, restaurant customers can savour local ingredients such as steamed snake-head fish in gourd, charcoal grilled snake-head fish wrapped in lotus leaves, and field crab with tamarind sauce and dien dien flower pickle.

There's an observation tower next to the fishing area with a panoramic view of the park, where you can see the immense green zone that stretches for miles, and to catch the harmonics of breeze and bird to purify the soul.

The Tra Su Reserve closes at 5pm. There is no accommodation available, so it's a 20km bus ride back to the town. However, cajeput honey or oil can be bought as a reminder of this unspoilt and tranquil green zone.

Mu Cang Chai – The Home Of Golden Terraced Rice Fields

 Mu Cang Chai is a western district of the Yen Bai province in Northern Vietnam. Mu Cang Chai is famous for its terraced fields. The terraced fields here are mostly located in three towns: La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and Ze Xu Phinh. These three towns were ranked as National Famous Landscapes. Due to that, from September to October, the fanciful scenery of terraced fields during the harvest season attracts many photographers to this area.

The mountain pass, Khau Pha, with a 30km-long, and high slope, make the Northwest area full of obstacles and difficult to access, but deep in mystery. After overcoming the mountain pass, visitors will be satisfied with the view of the terraced fields in the dusky mist and pure white clouds. The terraced fields, as hundreds of different soft ridges, make up the framework of this land with an altitude over 1000m, which captivates hearts.

The all-yellow hillsides of ripe rice seedlings, circling around the terraces – all of these things make up a dreamy beauty; enchanting, romantic and serene. This is a very distinguishing beauty; generous for all visitors, but only during the special Mu Cang Chai harvest season. There are also round roads – no matter how many times visitors turn around, they will be surprised by Mu Cang Chai’s amazing beauty in each turn. Terraced fields and ripe rice seedlings are mixed under the hands of nature, creating an endless sea of yellow. These appear and disappear alternately with the small houses of the ethnic people, which stretches to the top of mountain.

Mu Cang Chai’s beauty is not only shown by the miraculous scenery, but also the human presence here. The vision of the ethnic people harvesting the ripe, full-yellow rice seedling is like a mixture of colors, brightening up the corner of the Northwest sky. The pattern on the colorful costumes of the ethnic people here is drawn by beeswax mixed with color.

Therefore, the costumes of the ethnic people in Mu Cang Chai always have special colors that no other dyes can create. Normally, people here harvest in the afternoon, since it’s the time when the sunshine is most bright. People are hurrying for the harvest season, otherwise all of the ripe seedling rice will fall down and there will be no more sunshine to dry it up. There are families with relatives of all generations to help with harvesting. Families take turns harvesting from one family to the next until it’s all harvested. Even the Red Dao ethnic minority woman brings her newborn baby with her while in the fields to harvest.

After one enjoyable day, you can stay in Mu Cang Chai one night in an ethnic minority house or hotel. You will be surprised by what Mother Nature has given this place the following morning. In the early morning, the sky is brightened up with a perfect combination of light blue and golden yellow, as well as a trove of clouds as fluffy waves. Besides that, there are some pathways along the bottom of the mountain; meandering, curving, to meet the sky at the horizon, creating a true sense of beauty.

Mu Cang Chai, with its own distinguishing beauty and a mysterious attraction, keeps tourists coming back to this place again and again, not only because of the natural scenery, but also because of the friendly, warm and open people here.

Cattle market in Meo Vac District

Everyone in Ha Giang Province and cattle traders across the Red River Delta know unique cattle market held in Meo Vac District, which is considered the largest cattle market in Ha Giang Province.

Cattle market in Meo Vac The market place is located in the center of Meo Vac within the Dong Van Stone Plateau comprising of four districts of Meo Vac, Dong Van, Yen Minh and Quan Ba.

However, the market only really thrived since the Meo Vac District’s People’s Committee decided to develop local buffaloes and cows in 2000. The market is often boisterous on Saturday and Sunday as many local cattle farmers and lowland traders, mostly from provinces of Vinh Phuc, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, and Thai Nguyen, gather to sell and purchase cattle.

Meo Vac farmers bring cattle to the market Apart from cattle trading many people usually come to the market to meet friends and share news. Therefore, the market sometimes lasts all day Sunday. Most tourists to the Dong Van Stone Plateau in Ha Giang Province never miss the market where they can take some unique photos and experience its boisterous atmosphere.

Lowland traders drove to Meo Vac to buy cattle The cattle market in Meo Vac District is a cultural trait of Ha Giang’s ethnic minorities, while step by step helping develop the local economy.

Bai Tu Long Bay – A national treasure

Located in the northern province of Quang Ninh, Bai Tu Long National Park comprises 40 islands, either earth or limestone, scattering across three communes, Ha Long, Van Yen and Minh Chau of Van Don district.

The bay covers a total area of 15,783 hectares, including 6,125 hectares of land, and is home to 1,090 species of fauna and flora. The park is considered a priceless national treasure

According to Dr. Bui Tat Thang from the Strategic Development Institute of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Bai Tu Long includes all three fundamental ecosystems: forest, wetlands and sea – a diverse area for different species to live and develop.

In the park, 102 rare and precious species, including 72 species of fauna and 30 varieties of flora listed in Vietnam’s red book of endangered species can be found.

The park also has 1,000 hectares of wetlands, which includes mangrove forest, sandy and rocky tidal banks and seaweed that provide food and shelter for animals.

The wetlands ecosystem, with its impressive scenery and biodiversity, has attracted many eco-tourism, environmental education and research activities.

The area of coral accounts for only a minor section of the park, but has an important role to play as an aquatic resource. It has high biological productivity and is a gene bank for many types of sea species.

Besides the extremely diverse biological environment, the park also has archeological value, with evidence of ancient Viet people residing here 14,000 years ago.

Operational since April, 2002, Bai Tu Long National Park is a stunning tourism spot with a rich ecosystem, therefore it should receive sustainable protection, conservation and development.